The Quilt review

Gym Class Heroes: one of the most creative bands today

Gym Class Heroes is one of the few collectives that play real instruments while rapping. It was formed back in 1997 by two talented musicians, mc Travis Schleprok McCoy and drummer Matt McGinley who went to a gym class in one of the high schools in Geneva, New York – this fact explains the band's name. At the beginning the guys performed at local clubs, participated in various festivals and then got invited to make part of different tours. It happened so that Gym Class Heroes have got especially friendly relations with Fall Out Boy. 2006's album As Cruel As School Children attracted even more fans to Gym Class Heroes and this year the team gives us its new, already the fourth creation The Quilt. Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump produced the album with some other professionals who have also worked on the album, such as Cool & Dre, The-Dream, Tricky Stewart and Allstar. Stylish, diverse and rather long but never boring, The Quilt continues the path of Gym Class Heroes, one of the brightest and most creative collectives of the present days.

A real hotchpotch on The Quilt

The title of The Quilt renders fully its contents – this is a real hotchpotch. 14 absolutely different tracks combining the elements of a light rock and hip-hop with changeable beats are united only by a great contagious sounding. The albums starts with amazing, almost solemn tubes on Guilty As Charged, performed with Estelle whose vocals have definitely refined it while Busta Rhymes takes an active part on composition Peace Sign/Index Down, built on a piano beat adding more special coloring to it. A beautiful, slow and melodious pop song Like Father, Like Son (Papa's Song) tells a story which is not too joyful but is an inseparable part of life and thus so realistic that makes one cry, and contrasting with it a danceable and sunny Blinded By The Sun suits perfectly for a careless time spending with a company of friends. Another optimistic track Catch Me If You Can pleases with a contagious beat and backing vocals and bold life-asserting lyrics. The record's highlights are definitely the memorable R&B-song Cookie Jar produced by The-Dream, and a wonderfully beautiful Live Forever (Fly With Me), refined with Daryl Halls' splendid vocals. A classic rap track Home is remarkable for the drummer's good quality work and the album closer is rather a lyrical and soft piece Coming Clean pleasing with a nice tune and an unobtrusive beat.

One of the best albums in the band's discography

Since the moment of Gym Class Heroes' foundation its line-up has changed several times and today, except for the two founding members, there are also guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and bassist Eric Roberts in it. Yet, naturally, the one to be in the centre of attention is always the front man. Travis Schleprok McCoy is quite an outstanding person known for his provoking behavior and independence in judgments. For instance he has been recently arrested for attacking one of the audience member's who had insulted him in a rude way. Still despite the reputation which is not perfect Gym Class Heroes work really willingly as part of a team, the last significant work of the kind being a collaboration with Kelly Rowland on song Daylight. Besides, last year the guys opened Gwen Stefani's concert in Australia as part of her The Sweet Escape Tour. Album The Quilt has certainly become one of the best in its discography and surely not the last one. Though we can only guess how Gym Class Heroes manage to find time to record discs but hopefully its fifth creation will not make us wait too long.